Hockey's Back!

The Coors Belfast Giants returned to action tonight taking part in their first pre-season friendly in several seasons. There was a somewhat festive feel to the occasion with the Huddinge Red Tigers from Sweden providing the opposition in the Dundalk Ice Dome, giving an away day type atmosphere.

The Giants fans weren't sure what to expect from Huddinge, and were perhaps surprised by the speed and skill levels of the opposition. The Red Tigers, who had defeated the Dundalk Bulls 8-2 the previous night took an early powerplay lead through Martin Sandgärde with new Giant Scott Cameron sat in the box for tripping. Another penalty followed and the ring rusty Giants penalty kill was again found wanting, Roger Wahlqvist finding the net on the powerplay and putting Huddinge 2-0 up in under 5 minutes.

As the period went on the Giants started to grow into the game. In a very feisty game with hits galore being thrown by both sides, the Giants penalty box seat was kept very warm with a succesion of Giants finding their way in.

A much more promising second period suffered a blip however as the Giants searched for a foothold back into the game, Ed Courtenay miscontrolling the puck in the offensive zone leaving a 2 on 1 Huddinge break which was expertly finished by Tommy Enroth over Philippe DeRouville's right shoulder.

The Giants eventually found their way onto the scoreboard with a lovely goal created by the 3rd line. Graeme Walton fed Mark Morrison down the right wing, Mo-train went behind the net and fired the puck out into the slot where new Giant Paul Moran fired home.

Just as the Giants looked like getting back into the game, and with only moments of the second period left a lapse saw DeRouville lose the puck and somehow it was bundled in by Oscar Ahlström leaving the score at 1-4 after 2 periods of action.

The frenetic pace kept up in the final period, with the Giants starting to look more dangerous and twice more they cut into the Huddinge lead. First of all Ryan Smith pulled off a lovely move to deke the goalie to bring the score back to 2-4 and Mark Dutiaume capitalised on a mistake firing unassisted into the empty Huddinge net making it 3-4 with just under 10 minutes left.

As the Giants searched for that equaliser however, it was Huddinge who found the net again, Oscar Ahlström adding his second of the night with only 4 minutes remaining. And that was how it stayed, Huddinge running out 5-3 winners in Dundalk.

A useful workout for the team who improved as the game went on, let's hope that improvement continues in Saturday night's re-match once again in the Dundalk Ice Dome with an 8pm face off.

More News

Live Scores

League Standings

full table >>

Giants' Stat Leaders

Site Search